Absolutely correct. Years ago, when I first started reading about the history and tenets of Islam, I was intrigued by many of its ideas and its connection with Judaism and Christianity. The more I explored, however, the more alarmed I became at the differences between Islam and other major faiths.
Some might say I could've saved myself the time and just examined who has been responsible for most of the terrorist actions of the last few decades. Unfortunately, it hasn't been the work of a "just a few extremists". A huge percentage of the Islamic world agrees with people like Osama bin Laden, and has no problem with the murder of non-Muslims and fellow Muslims alike.
I've heard the same arguments before: Every religion has its radicals. All religions have periods of violence and oppression. Passages from the Bible seem as bad as those in the Koran.
My answer? All of the above may be true, but Islam has, far and away, the largest number of hard-core radicals. (How many Buddhists have hijacked jetliners?) The Catholic Church had the Spanish Inquisition, but later came reform and a return to the core beliefs of Christianity. (Is Islam capable of reform?) As for Islam...well...they haven't changed that much since the 7th century, now have they?
The Koran? Far more than a "few passages" advocating violence and death for non-Muslims. In fact, if you edited out the most bloodthirsty verses from the Koran, you might eliminate half the text!
As much I hate to say it, I think the roots of that particular tree are rotten. Trying to "reform" Islam would be like trying to "reform" Nazism. Pluck out the "anti-Semitism" from National Socialism, and you've plucked out the heart & soul of the ideology. Unlike most religions, Islam doesn't seem much concerned with heart & soul, matters of the spirit. It's main focus is political, legal and militaristic.
Among other things, I think this is what makes Islam so different from Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism or other faiths --- instead of trying to achieve union with God, Islam (like Nazism or Communism) wants to make the world into its own utopian vision --- a nightmare for the rest of us.